Flashlight apparatus



0d. 1, 1940. MALKIN 2,216,443

FLASHLIGHT APRQRATUS Filed July 28, -193 9 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. 198/? 6'1? MEL/fl BY J/ W ATTORNEY.

d- A. MALKIN I 2,216,443

' FLASHLIGHT APPARATUS Filed'July 2a, 1959 2 saeet -sneez 2 INVENTOR. mam/m AMA/fl ATTORNEY.

BY A95 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT APPARATUS Abraham Malkin, New York, N. Y.

' Application July 28, 1939, Serial No. 286,995

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a flashlight apparatus.

The object of the invention is the production of an apparatus by means of which flash powder and the like can be easily ignited.

The second object of the invention is the production of an apparatus with a movable ribbon carrying explosive caps which automatically come in the proper position to be exploded as required, and which in turn ignite a flash powder, instead of igniting the flash powder by sparking a flint, or using a plurality of caps independent of each other and each manually placed in proper position to be exploded.

Various other objects of the invention will be evident from the specification and drawings herewith.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of an exemplification of the flashlight apparatus with a partial section as on the line of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 shows a right hand side view with a section on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 indicates an enlarged fragmentary portion of Fig. l with some of the movable parts in different positions; and Fig. 4 shows a top View of Fig. 1 with a partial section of Fig. 1 on the line 8, 8.

A longitudinal angle shaped main support comprises the vertical members 28 and 2|, at right angles to each other. The member 2|] which functions as an anvil is shown with the curved clearance slot 22. The lower edge of the member 28 is indicated at 23, and the member 2| has integral therewith the extension 24, with the bottom flange 25 at right angles thereto. A stop lug 25, extends from the member 2!, and a cylindrical handle 21! extends from the flange 25.

A pan 28 comprises the rear vertical wall 38, the front wall 3|, the end walls 32, and the bottom wall 33. The wall 38 and the member 2|] are fastened to each. other by the screws 36, 01' other means, and a sheet of asbestos 31, or the like, is interposed between the wall 38 and the member 28. An inclined conduit 38 extends through the wall 38, the member 28, and the sheet of asbestos 3'5, and leads to the bottom of the pan 28.

To the member 28 is fastened the guide block 48, having the curved lower face 4|, and the curved nose 42. A clearance slot 83 extends from the lower face 4| and from the nose 42, and joins with the clearance slot 22.

To the upper portion of the member 2|, is secured by welding orother means, the supporting block 45. A shaft 48, extends from the block 45, and has journaled thereon the reel 58, having the side walls 5|, and the central supporting sleeve 52, with the clamping extensions 53, which latter extend from the side walls 5|. The outer end of the shaft 48, is threaded for the nut 54. An operating handle 56, extends from one of the side walls 5|. A spring 58,-- is fastened to the upper face of the block 45, by screws as shown, and its free end 59 bears against the face of the adjacent side wall 5|.

A main supportingshaft 68, is indicated with the disc'fiange 6|, at its outer end, and its other end 62, of reduced diameter is supported in an opening in the member 2|, and clamped in place by the nut 63, as indicated. On the shaft 60, is journaled the driving drum 18, which has integral therewith the ratchet wheel 15. The driving drum '30, has extending from its circumferential surface the driving pins 1|, whichare rectangular in cross section and equally spaced from one another. To the side face of the drum Hi, 20 opposite to the ratchet wheel 15, are fastened the cylindrical camming pins 12. The pins 12 are radially in line with everythird driving pin H. The ratchet wheel 15 has integral therewith the teeth 18.

On the supporting shaft 68, is supported the operating lever having the body portion 8|], and the handle 8|. An adjusting pin 82, extends from the inner face of the body portion 88, of the operating lever. A pawl 84, is pivoted to the body portion 80, and coacts with the teeth 16 of the ratchet wheel 15. A spring 81, has one end fastened to the body-portion 88-, and its free end bears on the pawl 84.

A supporting block 98, extends from the member 2|, of the main support and has pivoted thereto the pawl 9|, which also coacts with the teeth 1'5, of the ratchet wheel. A spring 93, has one ,end fastened to a pin 94, extending from the block 98. The free end of the spring 93, bears on the pawl 9|. A spring 96, encircles the supporting shaft 68, and has one end fastened to the member 2|, and its other end is fastened to the adjacent face of the body portion 80, of the operating lever. 45

A second shaft I00, has one end |0|, reduced in diameter and which is fastened to the extension 2 of the member 2|, by means of the nut ||l2. The. other end of the shaft I08, is reduced in diameter as indicated at I04, and on the portion W4, is supported one end of the hammer handle I85, of a hammer having the head I81, with the inclined striking face I08. A release slot I09 is provided in the inner side face of the handle I06. A washer and a nut H0 is provided for the portion I04 of the shaft I00. An auxiliary hammer lever III, inclined to the said hammer handle, has one end supported on the shaft I00. A block II 2, connects the hammer handle I06, and the lever I I I. A spring I I5, which is not as heavy or strong as the spring 96, encircles the shaft I00, and one end II6 thereof is fastened to the hammer handle I06, and its other end is fastened to the shaft I00.

A ribbon I20, preferably of paper, has connected thereto the circular explosive caps I2I, which are larger in diameter than the conduit 38. The said caps are spaced apart so that the distance between the members of each pair of said caps equals the distance between the centers of three of the pins H. The plane of the longitudinal center line through said caps I2I, coincides with a plane extending through the longitudinal center line of the hammer handle I06. Square openings I22, are made in the ribbon I20, and which are adapted to engage the driving pins 1I. One end of the ribbon I20, is secured in place between the sleeve 52, of the reel 50, and the clamping extensions 53.

To operate the flashlight apparatus, one end of the ribbon I20, is clamped between the sleeve 52, of the reel 50, and the extensions 53, and the said ribbon is wound around said sleeve by means of the operating handle 56.

The tension of the spring 96, coacting with the pin 82 of the lever 80, automatically positions the hammer handle I06 with its head I01, in the position indicated in Fig. 1, with the striking face I08 spaced from the member 20, of the main support. The handle 8| of the lever 80, at this instant bears against the lower edge 23 of the member 20.

The operator then pulls the open end of the ribbon I20, to engage one of the square openings I 22, thereof, with one of" the driving pins II, of the driving drum 10, so that one of the explosive caps I2 I, will be located midway between a pair of the camming pins 12.

The driving drum 10, is then turned by pulling down the handle 8|, and the pawl 84 will engage a tooth of the ratchet wheel 15, whereby the said drum is turned. By this means one of the caps I2I, is brought opposite to the conduit 38. Simultaneously one of the camming pins 12, is brought to bear against the hammer handle I06, and swings the same to its open position indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, until the pin 12, is opposite the release slot I09 of said handle I06. When the pin 12, is opposite the release slot I09, the cap I2I is opposite the conduit 38. The hammer handle I06 then swings to its closed position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and the explosive cap I2I which is struck explodes and the exploded portion of the cap is shot through the conduit 38, into the flash powder I28, previously placed in the pan 28.

Attention is called to the fact that when the face I08 of the hammer head I01, strikes one of the caps I2 I the blow of the said head is imparted to the said cap at its outer circumferential portion beyond the contour of the conduit 38, because the diameter of the cap is greater than the diameter of said conduit, whereby the central portion of the cap is free to shoot through said conduit.

When the hammer handle I06 is in the dotted position indicated in Fig. 3, the lever III, is located as shown in dotted lines.

When the handle I06 is located as shown in Fig. 3, in dotted lines the adjusting pin 82 bears against the stop lug 26. When the handle BI is released, it swings up to the position shown in Fig. 1, by the tension of the heavy spring 96, and the adjusting pin 82 bears against the lever III, and swings the same to the position as indicated in Fig. 1. At the same time the hammer handle I06 is swung to the position shown in Fig. 1, with its head I 01, spaced from the ribbon I20.

The cycle, of operations after a cap I2I has been exploded are repeated as required for the ignition of flash powder I28, in the pan 28.

The flashlight apparatus has detac-hably connected thereto a cover, comprising the front wall I35, having the opening I35a, the side walls I36, and the top wall I38. A pair of lugs I40, extend from the top wall I38, and are positioned to bear against the upper portion of the wall 30, of the pan. Screws I42 detachably clamp the lugs I40, to the said wall 30. When the ribbon I20 is mounted on the reel 50 and connected to the driving drum 10, the cover is detached from the flashlight apparatus by unscrewing the screws I42.

Various modifications may be made in the invention and the present exempliflcation is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described my invention I claim:

A repeating igniter for flashpowder comprising: a frame, a flashpowder receptacle, a ribbon of fulmin-ant caps having perforations intermediate the caps, an anvil having a hole in communication with the receptacle, a spring-actuated hammer member for striking the anvil in alignment with the hole, and mechanism for feeding the ribbon to position the caps on the anvil in alignment with the hole and causing the hammer to strike one of the caps when so positioned to thereby explode the cap and ignite a charge of flashpowder in the receptacle; said mechanism comprising; a drum having guide pins extending radially from its peripheral surface and engaging the holes of the ribbon, camming pins extending from one end face thereof and engageable with the hammer member to retract it as the drum rotates, and a ratchet wheel fixed concentric to the other end face for driving the drum; a spring-biased manually operable lever carrying a spring-pressed pawl which is engage-able with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the drum a predetermined amount upon operation of the lever, a second spring-pressed pawl carried by the frame and engageable with the teeth of the ratchet to prevent reverse rotation of the drum, said hammer member having a slot with which the camming pins cooperate to release it after retraction and thereby enable its actuating spring to swing it toward the anvil, and also an auxiliary lever fixed to the hammer member which is engageab le with a pin carried by the manually operable lever to initiate the retracting movement of the hammer member before it is engaged by the camming pins.

ABRAHAM MALKIN. 

